1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to couplings for toilets and, more specifically, to couplings between fill valves and refill hoses.
2. Description of Prior Art and Related Information
As the need for water conservation continues to grow, water agencies and other municipal entities are placing strict demands on the water consumption of toilets. These requirements have also begun to appear in the form of regulations on the types of components within a toilet. The need for more efficient water usage has resulted in certain requirements for uniformity in the components such that these components cannot be adjusted by end users or professionals so as to defeat the water saving features of the toilet system.
A recent trend in legislation has been to require toilet components to be non-adjustable. That way, a toilet system originally manufactured with the intent of conserving water will be effective to accomplish the purpose for which it was designed without interference from an end user or plumber who might otherwise tweak the system. This also eliminates the need to increase water supply, such as building a new and expensive water plant.
One conventional approach to conserving water in toilets has been to restrict the water flow from the fill valve to the refill which that ultimately directs water to refill the toilet bowl. Accordingly, various adapters that reduce water flow have been inserted in between the horizontal outlet of a typical refill valve and the refill hose. The problem with many conventional refill adapters is that such adapters may be easily removed, thereby enabling a user or technician to simply connect the refill hose directly to the outlet of the refill valve. This results in greater water flow from the fill valve to the refill hose, thereby defeating the water conservation purpose of the conventional adapter.
Accordingly, a great need exists for a non-removable water saving adapter designed to couple a refill hose to a fill valve.
Furthermore, toilet fill valves come in all shapes and sizes. This is particularly true of the outlets of such valves. Therefore, to achieve a desired output of water, a unique adapter with specific dimensions would have to be specially provided for connecting to each fill valve, or more specifically to the outlets thereof.
Thus, a great need also exists for adapters having certain universal dimensions such that they can be fitted with a variety of different fill valves for accomplishing a variety of different flow rates.